Freshmen for weeks have been preparing for battle in the 2010 Parent’s Weekend production ACU Rocks: A Freshman Follies Throwdown.Judges will choose, winners for the first time this year at the end of each show.

Tom Craig, director of student productions, explained that the change in format goes well with the “throwdown” theme of this year’s Follies.

“The overall concept of the show is ‘we’re using everything God gave to be the best that we can possibly be – top that,'” Craig said.

Secret judges will be in the audience at each performance, Craig said, and their input will determine the winning acts.

This could prove a difficult task for the judges. Brady Johnson, freshman mass communications major from Austin and a co-chair for this year’s Freshman Follies, said he has several favorite acts.

“There are several,” Johnson said. “I don’t know if I have one favorite, but there are so many good ones.”

Craig said this year’s Follies has several great hall and specialty acts.

“The hall acts are guaranteed to make you laugh,” Craig said. “We got great soloists with amazing voices, and we have some amazing ensembles.”

Student teams help every aspect of follies run smoothly, and co-chairs direct the audition process for the acts, Craig explained.

“Freshmen have to audition for the smaller specialty acts. Some people are chosen for individual acts and others are combined for ensembles,” Craig said.

“It is hard to imagine what it takes to make follies work,” Craig said. “Student teams behind the scenes help coordinate the traffic flow. The backstage area is way too small for the number of students in the show, so they camp out elsewhere; then student teams get them to Cullen in a rotation format where they are on stage at all the right times.”

Johnson said that for him and his co-chairs, directing the busyness is part of what makes his job fun.

“My favorite part is getting everything together and being able to see what we have in mind as our goal, and then doing everything we can to make sure that that goal comes true; to see the end result and know that we are a big part of making this thing roll,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s parents are among several that will be visiting ACU for Parent’s Weekend and Freshman Follies.

“I told them that I got one of the three leadership positions in charge of the whole show,” Johnson said. “They were excited to see the show and see what would come of it.”

“I had done several things like this during high school,” Johnson continued. “This opportunity came up, and I thought it would be a good thing to do to get involved and meet new people, and it’s worked out so far.”